This invention relates to methods of making flying surfaces and more particularly, to a method of making flying surfaces for model aircraft.
A large variety of model airplanes have been developed over the years. The most successful of these airplanes are designed to remain aloft for long periods of time, which greatly enhances the excitement of playing with model airplanes. Since the minimum forward velocity at which a model airplane will maintain its flying attitude is related to the weight of the craft, lighter craft are able to remain alot for longer periods of time.
The majority of the weight of model airplanes is generally attributable to the large area flying surfaces. Accordingly, prior art designs of model airplanes have evolved to minimize the weight of the flying surfaces. One such design employs thin sheets of a light weight material such as balsa wood to form the various flying surfaces such as the wings, and the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. While flying surfaces formed of balsa wood sheets are relatively easy to construct, they are sufficiently heavy to require a high forward velocity to keep the craft aloft. In addition, balsa wood is relatively expensive, varies in its quality, and is quite fragile.
The weight of a model airplane wing may be reduced by employing a light-weight frame covered by a thin sheet of material, in place of the sheet of balsa wood described above. For example, the use of a frame formed of material such as balsa wood and covered with a thin sheet of paper to form an airplane wing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,893,791, issued Jan. 10, 1933 to G. D. Warner, and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,161,921, issued June 13, 1939 to Carl Fritzen. In each of these references, the frame is assembled of a plurality of segments or struts which are fastened together to form the outer shape of the flying surface. A sheet of paper is fastened across the struts to complete the wing.
Forming the frame of the wing requires a great deal of assembly time to ensure proper shape and alignment and precludes the use of mass production techniques to manufacture the wing. Further, fastening a sheet of paper to an individual frame also requires a great deal of assembly time to ensure that the paper forms a smooth flying surface. In addition, the paper must be carefully trimmed to conform to the outline of the frame.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of making flying surfaces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of inexpensively mass producing light weight flying surfaces for use with model airplanes.